Lack of digital modernisation is limiting patient care, according to new research
Computacenter, an independent provider of digital technology infrastructure and services, has announced new research findings that highlight the UK healthcare sector is hindered by lack of modernisation.
A survey amongst IT decision-makers in the UK healthcare sector has highlighted that 36 percent of respondents’ staff have asked for faster digital technology systems to ensure their practices run efficiently. Similar demands are also being made by patients, with over a quarter of respondents claiming the public have asked for faster digital technology systems.
Computacenter notes that with faster and smarter digital technology, staff will be better placed to offer improved services, with access to quick and accurate information, while also maximising budget and increasing productivity.
Rob Stanley, Computacenter’s director of End User Services, commented: “Intuitive access to information and increased mobility in the NHS can make a massive difference to staff productivity. Empowering clinicians with devices and applications that enable them to securely access patient data anytime and anywhere helps them to proactively improve outcomes for patients.”
The findings outlined that much of the demand for digital transformation comes from employees and patients. With access to remote digital technology devices such as tablets and collaborative file sharing tools, staff will have the ability to respond on the scene, improving patient treatment time.
Streamlining access to essential information will help improve services, while also cutting back on administrative time to free up valuable hours, adds Computacenter.
Improving the overall patient experience and enabling staff to succeed were cited as two of the biggest measures of success for NHS Trusts. However, the sector is facing ongoing pressure when it comes to budgets, and 36 percent of those surveyed believed that this was holding back digital technology system upgrades.
The survey recommends that the healthcare sector should revaluate how it deploys technology, so it can innovate employee and patient lives effectively.
Mark Chandiram, Client Director for Computacenter’s Health and Social Care UK business, added: “A lack of resources and skills has hindered Trusts’ ability to modernise digital technology, which means they are now struggling to meet patients’ and caregivers’ expectations.
“Modernising digital technology is vital for enabling greater efficiency and improving the patient experience.”